Letter-carrier.



C. E. TICHENOR LETTER CARRIER APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27. ms

l fififin Patented Feb,19,1918, 2 SHEETS-SHEET S.

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WITNESSES 04gb ATTORNEY G. E. TICHENOR. LETTER CARRIER. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27. 1916.

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INVENTOR Patented Feb 19, 1918,

Z S HEETS--S H WITNESSES ATTURNEY CHARLES ERNEST 'IICHENOR, 0F BLOOMFIELD, KENTUCKY.

LETTER-CARRIER.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES ERNEST; TICHENOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomfield, in the county of Nelson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Carriers, of which the following is a specification. r

This invention relates to office furniture, and more particularly, to an improved filing appliance for letters and the like.

It is the principal object of the invention, to provide a simple and compact filing device, which may be applied to the usual desk, roll or fiat top, with but slight alterations thereto, thus, providing a construction, whereby, various matters may be readily filed in classified order, the device aiming to eliminate the use of the usual pigeon hole filing system.

More particularly, the present invention has reference to the novel construction and arrangement of the filing appliance, the same being of the endless carrier type, and comprising, a plurality of vertically disposed supporting rollers, which have endless belts arranged thereabout, the said belts carrying thereon, transversely positioned, supporting bars, whereby a number of filing trays may be held thereby.

Another important characteristic of the present invention, resides in the provision of a pivotally mounted locking bar, which is supported upon a division board and is intended to be swung outwardly into engagement with one of the supporting bars, thus, causing one of the filing trays to be locked or maintained in fixed position, convenient to the user, whereby the desired matter may be obtained or deposited.

Among the aims and objects of the present invention, may be recited, the provision of a device of the character mentioned, with a view to compactness and in which the number of parts are few, the construction simple, the cost of production small, and effi ciency and operation high.

Other and further improvements and novel details in the construction and arrangement of parts will be appreciated from the description to follow, which for a clear understanding of the invention'should be considered in connection with the accom panying drawings, which form a part hereof and wherein the preferred embodiment of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.19, 1918.

Application filed November 27, 1916. 7 Serial No. 133,744.

the invention is shown for the purpose of illustration.

In the drawings Figure l is a front elevation of a desk with my improved filing appliance arranged thereupon,

Fig.2 is a transverse section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 3 is a fragmental detail partly in section showing the arrangement and mounting of the endless carrying belt and the manner in which the filing trays are supported thereon,

Fig. 4; is a fragmental detail in perspective of one of the filing trays,

Fig. 5, a fragmental top plan of the locking arm whereby, t 1e desired filing tray may be held locked in fixed position,

Fig. 6 is a front elevation thereof, and

Fig. 7 is afragmeutal detail partly in section showing the bracket connection between the filing tray supporting bars and the endless carrier belts.

With more particular reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views, it may be stated, that I have in the present embodiment, disclosed my filing appliance used in conjunction with the conventional type of roll top desk, which.

desk, I shall indicate by the numeral 1.

The rear portion of the desk 1 is provided with a partition wall 2, having an opening 3 arranged therein adjacent the top portion of the desk. As will be noted, the partition wall is so arranged as to provide two separate and distinct chambers, one'for containing the filing appliance construction and the second, for the sliding drawers and foot space. lVithin the first mentioned chamber, there is arranged a plurality of supporting rollers i and 5, the same being mounted upon suitable bearings, which are journaled within the adjacent side walls of the desk frame, as shown at 6 and 7. If so desired, these rollers may be supplied with the usual antifrictional bearing means, whereby, the same may be freely rotated upon their respective bearings. An annular flange 8 is arranged upon each of the supporting rollers i and 5, adjacent the outer marginal edges thereof, the purpose of which will be subsequently obvious.

Referring now to the construction of the filing trays and the manner in which the same are mounted for travel, it will be noted that I arrange about the supporting rollers 4 and 5, endless'beltS,generally indicated by the numeral 9, the said belts having their end portions connected by means of buckle 19, the throat of which may be passed to any one of the various openings indicated by the numeral 11, in order that the belts may be properly adjusted; Laterally positioned cylindrical brackets 12 are secured to the outer surfaces of the endless carrier belts 9, by means of rivets 13 which are passed through flattened portions thereon into engagement with said belts. Attention is directed to the fact that the cylindrical brackets 12 are affixed to. the carrierbelts in equally'spaced' apart relation and that the same are provided with, upon their cylindrical portions, internally arranged screw threadslat. Cylindrical bars 15, having the extremities thereof externally threaded, as at 16, are turned into engagement-with the threaded portions 14 and provide for means whereby the various filing trays, which are generally indicated by the numeral 17, may be pivotally supported thereon. Substantially V-shaped brackets 18. are atlixed to the end walls of the filing trays17, by means.

of screws or the like, as at 19, and have formed 1n their upper extremity, annular openings 20. Thus, 1t Wlll be appreciated,

that the supporting bars 15 may be passed through the openings 20, consequently, providing for the desired pivotal supporting means.

' The filing trays 17, comprise rectangular receptacles, having top, bottom and rear walls, the front portion thereof being open 7 to permit the filing of various matters there in. It is to be also noted, that the bottom portion, indicated by the numeral 21, is slightly inclined, thereby providing for means'which will prevent the various papers filed within the trays from becoming displaced during the; travel 'of the tray. A

plurality of partitions 22are. arranged within the trays 17, thus, constituting a plurality "of separate receptacles and enabling the matter as deposited inthe trays to be more accurately classified. It is to be appreciated, that various symbols, such as .numerals or letters, may be afiixed 'to the various compartments of the filing trays 17, to facilitate the filin and selection of the desired papers. i

'In order to providefor means, wherebya certain filing tray may be maintained in.

fixed position'adjacent the opening 3 within the partition wall 2,there is affixed to the divisionboard 28', this board being secured to the endwalls'of the desk within the rear chamber by suitable fastening devices, a bracket 24;, and pivotally mounted thereon, an arm 25, the outerend of which is forked as at 26. Should the userdesire to lock a particular tray in fixed position, the arm 25 is swung outwardly until the forked end 26, engages with the adjacent supporting bar 15, consequently, maintaining the same injsubstantially rigid position and permitting the user to remove'or deposit thedesired papers within the proper compartment of the filing tray; LThe division board 23 also provides for means, whereby those filing trays before the opening 3 of the partition] wall'2, will be prevented from swinging backwardly and causing the contents'thereof to become displaced, the said division board serving as an efficient abutment therefor.

In'reviewiug the operation of the construction it willbe noted that when the user desires to bring a particular filing traybefore the opening 3, thetrays are movedupwardly or downwardly, thus, causing the same to travel about the supporting rollers 4: and 5. Suflicient movement thereof, will bring the desired tray into exposed position before the opening 3; The arm 23' may be then'swung outwardly until the forked end 26 is engagedwith the adjacent supporting bar 15, whereupon the various trays, including the one desiredby the user, will be locked in substantially rigid position. It will be also evident, that the annular flanges 8 as arranged upon the outer marginal edges of the rollers 4 and 5 provide for means whereby lateral displacementofthe endless carrier belts 9 will be prevented.

As hereinbeforestatedQit is to be understood, that this construction may be used in conjunction with any form of desk, or that the same may be applied to any article offurniture, wherein such a device is desirable. Also, that the filing trays, instead of being of the construction as herein disa closed and described, may embody a shelving. structure upon which the various papers; to be filed, maybe placed and secured there; on by means of resilient clips or the like.

Still further embodiments of the'invention than those herein especially designed, may be resorted to as conditions or preference may dictate, as may-be inkeeping with the hereto appended claims.

ing of said trays, and a pivotally mounted locking arm supported by said division board and engageable with said transverse bars whereby certain of the filing trays may be held in fixed position.

2. In a filing appliance, the combination of a supporting casing, supporting rollers carried by said casing, endless belts passing about said rollers, transverse bars affixed to said belts, filing trays pivotally carried by said bars, a pivotally supported locking arm carried by .said casing, said locking arm having a forked end, said forked end being adapted to engage said bars, whereby said filing trays may be retained in set positions.

3. In a filing appliance, the combination of a supporting casing, spaced rollers carried by said casing, belts passing about said rollers, transverse bars secured to said belts, filing trays pivotally carried by said bars, a division board carried by said casing, brackets caried by said division board, a pivotal locking arm secured to said brackets, said locking arm having a forked outer end, said forked end being adapted to engage one of said bars, whereby said filing trays may be held in set positions.

4. In a filing appliance, the combination of a supporting casing, supporting rollers carried by said casing, endless belts passing about said rollers, transverse bars fixed to said belts, receiving means carried upon said bars, a pivotally supported locking arm carried by said casing, said locking arm having a forked end, said forked end being adapted to engage said bars, thus causing said means to be retained in a set position.

5. In a filing appliance, the combination of a supporting casing, supporting rollers carried by said casing, endless belts passing about said rollers, transverse bars fixed to said belts, receiving means carried by said bars, a movably mounted locking arm carried by said casing, said locking arm having a forked end, said forked end being adapted to engage one of said bars, thus holding said receiving means in a set position.

6. In a filing appliance, the combination of a supporting casing, spaced rollers carried by said casing, belts passing about said rollers, transverse bars secured to said belts, receiving means carried by said bars, a division board carried by said casing, brackets carried by said division. board, a pivotal locking arm secured to said brackets, said locking arm having a forked outer end, said forked end being adapted to engage one of said bars, thus holding said receiving means in a set position.

7. In a filing appliance, the combination of a supporting casing, spaced rollers carried by said casing, belts passing about said rollers, transverse bars secured to said belts, receiving means carried by said bars, a division board carried by said casing, brackets carried by said division board, a locking arm movably mounted upon said brackets, said locking arm having a forked outer end, said forked end being adapted to engage one of said bars, thus holding said receiving means in a set position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES ERNEST TICI-IENOR.

Witnesses HENRY L. MUIR, ALBERT JOEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

